Digital Transformation

This is the Digital Framework: our plan for becoming a digital government. We consider it a draft – an “alpha” version – that reserves the flexibility to learn and adapt as we go. We will continually update and improve this framework based on the feedback and lessons learned.

Our vision

Technology has changed everything, including expectations. If you were a teenager in the 1980s, you probably remember feeding 25 cents into a payphone. Maybe you remember life before payphones. Or maybe you’re asking Siri, “What’s a payphone?”

That’s just one example of how technology has evolved in the Internet era, but you could name hundreds more. The point is, digital technology has changed everything – how we learn, communicate, do business, and go about our daily lives. And this has changed what people expect from government.

Governments everywhere have been grappling with these changes, and the changing expectations. The short answer is we must change too. We know what you know: digital is the new normal.

Transformation has begun

Here in B.C., ministries and agencies have started using new tools and ways of working to provide online services that respond to people’s raised expectations. But these changes are happening in pockets across government despite our current structure and systems, not because of them. It’s time to drive a coordinated shift towards digital government.

Accelerating our digital transformation

Our challenge now is to accelerate our transformation into a digital government, keeping the focus squarely on people: our employees, our partners and our citizens. We want to make the best possible use of modern processes, business models and technologies to become a more effective government. This means working across ministry boundaries to share tools, data and learning so we can deliver government’s priorities at the fastest pace, lowest cost and greatest equity to British Columbians.

Our approach: learning by doing

The Digital Framework sets an overarching direction – the guiding policies, objectives and actions – that will accelerate our transformation into a digital government. But this plan is not set in stone. It was developed through consultation across government, and it remains a working draft – a starting point that lets us learn and adapt as we go. We consider this to be a draft, an “alpha” version, that will be continually updated and improved based on feedback and lessons learned.

Service delivery

Our first priority is designing and delivering simple, easy-to-use online services for British Columbians.

We think modern online services should be:

Based on user needs (as identified by users themselves)

Designed and tested with the people who will be using them

Accessible and inclusive for all British Columbians

Designed to work end-to-end

Joined across all channels (online, phone, mail, face-to-face)

Priority Actions and Objectives

Priority Actions

Objectives

Priority Action

Launch digital service principles that set the expectation teams will use user-focused, agile approaches, open standards and common components to develop online services.

Objective

Online services meet British Columbians’ modern expectations.

Priority Action

Identify and invest in self-serve and easy-to-use common components.

Objective

People will have a common experience of government, and digital teams will be able to deliver services quickly and cost-effectively.

Priority Action

Improve BC Services Card onboarding to make it simpler for ministries to use.

Objective

British Columbians will have a safe, common way to identify who they are when interacting with government.

Priority Action

Scale OrgBook BC and the Verifiable Organizations Network to help people share and verify important credentials about B.C. businesses.

Objective

Faster, more streamlined services for B.C. businesses.

Priority Action

Deliver two new online services to demonstrate the value of modern tools and ways of working.

Objective

Two new online services – fast, simple and intuitive to use – meet the needs of British Columbians.

Data and information

The foundation of a modern, digital government is data – accessible, reliable data that can be used to inform research and decision-making.

By safely integrating and de-identifying data from across government, we can gain new insights about population-level trends and complex issues, which can ultimately lead to better programs, policies and services for British Columbians.

Objective

Priority Action

Identify priority data registers and invest in making them easy to use and re-use.

Objective

Improve service delivery for citizens, who will no longer need to understand how government is organized to find the services they need.

Tools, processes and practices

Government’s digital transformation is being driven by BC Public Service employees, so we need to ensure they are empowered with modern processes, tools and practices to do their best work.

Priority Actions and Objectives

Priority Actions

Objectives

Priority Action

Create a Digital Services Office and appoint a Chief Digital Officer to help bring modern tools and ways of working into the hands of BC Public Service employees.

Objective

BC Public Service employees will have the access, support and guidance they need to use modern tools and ways of working.

Priority Action

Modernize the way government funds technology.

Objective

Funding for priority digital initiatives will be evidence-based, faster, more flexible and agile, and ensure better value for citizens.

Priority Action

Provide clear direction to government on the use of modern tools and infrastructure.

Objective

Digital teams will have the tools they need to deliver better value to citizens, faster.

Priority Action

Create a program to develop and retain existing digital talent within the BC Public Service, and to attract new talent from outside government.

Objective

The BC Public Service will be better equipped to deliver government’s priorities.

External partners

By partnering with academic institutions and companies, government can co-develop new products and services for citizens and help grow B.C.’s digital economy. We also need to partner with communities and other levels of government and First Nations to ensure everyone can thrive in the Internet era.

Priority Actions and Objectives

Priority Actions

Objectives

Priority Action

Extend and share B.C.’s world-leading digital procurement programs, such as Sprint With Us.

Objective

Government procurement will help grow local economies, create local jobs, and take advantage of made-in-B.C. innovations.

Priority Action

Launch digital.gov.bc.ca, a website that will showcase our work on digital government.

Objective

B.C.’s work on digital transformation will be shared and amplified, helping us connect with partners.

Priority Action

Continue expanding connectivity for rural and Indigenous communities in B.C.

Objective

Increased economic and social development, educational opportunities, access to online services, health and public safety for all British Columbians.

Priority Action

Provide guidance and support for developing data commons.

Objective

Enhanced collaboration with industry and other levels of government and First Nations to solve complex problems using data.